FCC Uncensored

FCC Uncensored

By Gregg Skall

February 6, 2018

Workplace sexual harassment has catapulted into our collective consciousness since the recent revelations involving media mogul Harvey Weinstein. In recent months we have seen allegations of sexual misconduct against some of the most respected entertainment and media personalities, including television and radio veterans including journalist Charlie Rose, "Today Show" co-host Matt Lauer, and radio personality Garrison Keillor. However, this is not the first time the broadcast industry has experienced allegation of this nature.

A decade ago, broad reports of shocking harassment behavior was the subject of stories about the Sam Zell takeover of Tribune Broadcasting. Zell brought in his colleague Randy Michaels, an executive of Jacor Communications and Clear Channel Communications, to run Tribune, including its broadcast operations. According to both the New York Times and Gawker, soon after Michaels took control, two people at a Chicago bar reported that he said, "Watch this," and offered the waitress $100 to show him her breasts See: Gawker. The New York Times

January 16, 2018

The first quarter of 2018 brings three important dates to the calendar of all broadcasters. First up is the final AM cross-service translator filing window in the FCC's AM Revitalization Project. Then, March "Comes In Like a Lion" with two more important deadlines for ...

January 9, 2018

On January 4th, Attorney General Jeff Sessions took a big step backward. He announced that the Department of Justice rescinded the "Cole Memo" and other internal enforcement guidelines, issued under the Obama Administration that de-prioritized enforcement of federal ...

November 7, 2017

Tower issues are coming to the forefront for nearly every communications service, and FM radio is certainly not left out. FM radio is implicated primarily because of the TV repack; a consequence of the FCC's television incentive reverse auction.
While many radio ...

October 24, 2017

As expected, the FCC today eliminated the broadcast main studio rule by a strict party line vote. Approving were Chairman Pai and Commissioners O'Rielly and Carr. Commissioners Clyburn and Rosenworcel dissented.
The Order retains the requirement that stations maintain ...

October 3, 2017

I have written about noncompetition agreements in the broadcasting industry before. See (December 8, 2008) (January 8, 2013) (January 22, 2013). In an industry so focused on the development and promotion of personalities and distinguishing its information and ...

September 19, 2017

ONE WEEK OUT!!
As you should already know, the FCC deadline for payment of fiscal year 2017 regulatory fees is September, 26. We are now one week out. Reg Fees must be paid by September 26th, 2017 (11:5p ET).
Fees are owed on all authorizations held on October 1st, ...

July 25, 2017

We are only 30 days away from the six-month warning bell when all radio all broadcasters must be have their FCC online public file fully functional. Broadcasters who are mindful of their public file responsibilities will recall that in June 2016, the online public file ...

July 13, 2017

The FCC will accept FM Translator Window 3 Applications from proposed assignees of on file assignment applications for AM Class C and Class D AM stations.
Given the extremely short filing window, a critical problem was presented by the requirement that applications ...

June 20, 2017

Kicking off the first summer month of 2017, on June 1st the FCC released the much-anticipated the third round in new FM translators for AM stations. The first of two new FM cross-service translator auction filing windows were announced for July 26th through August 2nd. ...

Gregg Skall is a partner of the law firm Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLC. He is the immediate past Telecommunications Practice Group Leader. He frequently lectures on the political broadcasting rules and regulations administered by the Federal Communications Commission and has represented broadcaster associations before the Federal Election Commission. Gregg represents broadcasters and other parties in their regulatory dealings before the Federal Communications Commission in their commercial business dealings. He serves as Washington Counsel to several state broadcaster associations. He also works with telecommunications companies and with radio device manufacturers to obtain FCC approvals and to assure regulatory compliance.

Gregg has served on the Pike and Fischer Communications Regulation Advisory Board since its formation, the leading communications law legal research library in Washington, D.C. Prior to private practice, Mr. Skall served as the Chief Counsel for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and Acting General Counsel to the White House Office of Telecommunications Policy. He has served at the Federal Communications Commission and has taught Telecommunications Law and Policy at The George Washington University.